Griboedov Alexander

Griboedov  Alexander (1795-1829), Russian writer and diplomat. Born in Moscow. Prior to 1822, before he settled in Tbilisi, he visited Georgia twice in the capacity of the Secretary of Russian Embassy in Iran, in 1818 1nd 1819. Starting from 1822 he served in Tbilisi as a diplomatic employee at the office of Governor-General A. Ermolov and later – at the administration of Governor-General I. Paskevich. He used to live on the Exarch Square (at present – King Erekle II Square). A. Griboedov had close relations with the representatives of Georgian society, especially, with the family of Alexandre Chavchavadze. In 1826 he was arrested. However, he was cleared of the charges of Decembrist Organization membership and he returned to Tbilisi.

A. Griboedov was involved in publishing the newspaper Tiflisskye vedomosti, opening of District Schools, the endeavor to found Tbilisi public library, setting up of a commercial bank and elaborating the plan of restoration of the areas of Tbilisi that had been destroyed by Agha Muhammad Khan. He worked out the project of industrialcultural transformation of Transcaucasia (South Caucasus), which was based on Russia’s colonial tendencies. In Tbilisi A. Griboedov wrote Traveler’s Letters, verse Where the Alazani Flows, epic poem Hookah Smoker, fragments of drama Radamist and Zenobia, unfinished story Georgian Night. In Tbilisi he wrote the first two acts of his main work The Woes of Wit. The first performance of the play was realized at A. Chavchavadze’s place (1827); later it was staged at the palace of Roman Bagrationi.

In 1828 A. Griboedov was appointed Minister-Resident of Russia in Iran. The same year he married A. Chavchavadze’s daughter Nino. He fell victim to the rebellious crowd in Tehran. His body was transferred to Tbilisi and buried at the Mtatsminda Pantheon. His gravestone bears the words by Nino Chavchavadze: “Your talent and deeds will stay forever in Russian memory, but why did my love outlive you?”.